Teen Times: Living up to standards of beauty, weight almost impossible to achieve

Tuesday

Mar 1, 2011 at 5:01 AM

By ASHLEY FICKES

Ashland High School

We see it everywhere, from magazine ads to the latest car to buy. The perfect woman is portrayed everywhere -- that tall, skinny, blonde bombshell is what most girls dream to be.

The average woman is 5-feet, 4-inches tall and weighs 140 pounds, while the average model is 5-11 and weighs 117 pounds. This a significant difference.

One very famous modeling agency, Ford Models, looks mainly for women 5-8 or taller. On the application form for Ford Modeling, age, weight, height, measurements and many other personal questions are asked.

The agency also asks to submit several photos without any makeup on. Male models also have strict criteria.

Most average people think modeling is a leisure job, but it is not. From diets to working out many hours a day, models struggle to keep their picture-perfect shape.

Trying to have the perfect body can be stressful for most people, especially teens.

Americans today have the highest rate of people dieting. On average, 45 million Americans diet each year.

People in America spend about $1 billion to $2 billion per year on weight-loss programs. Out of those 45 people, many are teens.

In the everyday life of a teen, feeling imperfect is common.

Anorexia, bulimia and other types of eating disorders are becoming more popular in teens and young children these days. Children can't understand the harm they can do to their bodies.

When teens see that a supermodel can skip two meals a day and still look like they are in good health, they think they also can skip meals. This could escalate to a series of issues ranging from malnutrition to eating disorders. Two out of every 100 students struggle with an eating disorder.

Anorexia and bulimia are two of the most commoneating disorders.

Anorexia is a disorder where people starve themselves because of their intense fear of becoming fat. It usually begins in the onset of puberty and weight loss is usually up to 15 percent less than the person's normal body weight.

Bulimia is a disease in which a person binges on food or has regular episodes of significant overeating and feels a loss of control. The person then uses methods, such as vomiting and laxatives, to avoid weight gain.

As hard as it is to believe, there are issues like this in Ashland. Students have admitted they either had an eating disorder or have known someone who has.

On the other hand, many students have claimed they don't care about their weight.

Students at Ashland High School were surveyed in December. Out of the 125 surveys, 72 were boys and 53 were girls.

"I feel there is no 'ideal' body weight," a sophomore female said. "If someone is comfortable and confident with themselves, then it is all that matters. Society shouldn't judge people by an ideal body type."

A junior female said, "I think it all depends on the person. Nobody's perfect and there shouldn't be an ideal body weight."

Junior Tabitha Flint agreed that there shouldn't be an ideal body weight.

"Whatever makes you feel comfortable," Flint said. "As long as you like the way you look, who cares what anyone else says."

Items such as makeup and hair dye make things a lot easier for someone unhappy with his or her self-image to fix things.

At AHS, 32 percent of girls said they wear makeup six or seven times a week.

"I think makeup is just an easy way to hide your true self," sophomore Victoria Dunne said. "It covers up almost anything and you can easily hide any flaws."

At AHS, 48 percent of teens said they feel more comfortable when either dressing up or wearing makeup.